Broken Paradise
by Raven Roth 28
Summary: Six years have passed since Chihiro stepped foot into the spirit world. After a night of dancing, drinking, and fighting, she finds herself venturing back with no memory of her adventures. Worst of all - things aren't quite the same...  Rating may change
1. Guilty Conscience

**_Chapter 1: Guilty Conscience_**

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><p>"Come on, Chihiro, lighten up."<p>

Sixteen year old Chihiro Ogino glanced up at from her lap at the sound of her friend's voice. "Stop saying that," she muttered softly, peering out of the subway window to her right. She felt sick to her stomach, as if any moment she'd start throwing up. She felt like she deserved it though; she wasn't supposed to be out this late at night, especially without her parent's permission.

Mina groaned, rolling her eyes. "Ever since we left your parent's house you've been such a downer." She smacked her friend's arm lightly. "Come on, cheer up!" Tonight was supposed to be about having some fun and cutting loose.

Chihiro smacked the girl's leg, not taking her eyes off the window. She could barely see a thing in the dark of the night, but it was much better than looking at her friend's faces. "Ow!" the girl yelped, holding her leg. "Chihiro-"

"Mina, leave her alone," a male voice uttered across from the two girls.

Both teens looked up; Chihiro couldn't help but smile faintly, while Mina scowled. Takashi was like a big brother to Chihiro, always looking out for her and making sure she didn't get into trouble. Although, she couldn't help but find it odd that he was accompanying both of them downtown tonight. Takashi didn't seem like the kind of guy to really sneak out late at night. But then again, all teenagers did it at some point, she supposed.

Mina on the other hand thought Takashi was somewhat of a nuisance, always ruining her fun. The fact that he was tagging along only meant that their enjoyment would be short-lived. "Fine," she groaned. She'd stop interfering.

The brunette smiled softly and winked at him before looking back out the window; she owed him one. Mina loved to prod, whether people liked it or not, and Chihiro wasn't in the mood for any of it tonight. The churning in her stomach was starting to grow with each passing minute, and her friend's meddling wasn't helped with that one bit. She glanced down at her lap and took her phone from her pocket, checking the screen and her messages for maybe the eighth time since she snuck out. No messages or missed calls._ Perfect,_ she thought. What her parents didn't know wouldn't hurt them. She just prayed that they didn't check under her covers to reveal a ton of plush toys underneath the blankets.

Her cell phone suddenly vibrated with a text, her heart jolting along with her body as she jumped up from her seat. But then she saw a familiar name and calmed down a little, taking her seat as she glanced around. Everyone was staring at her now, even Mina. _Don't worry,_ the message read,_ tonight will be fun. Promise. :) _

_**Promise…**_

Chihiro typed back, _If you say so._ She still wasn't too sure that she would end up enjoying tonight, even if she would be with her two favorite people in the world. She sat back as Mina checked her watch. "Just a few more minutes," she announced. "Then you can stop freaking out and start having some fun." She nudged Chihiro teasingly with a sly smile. Chihiro just rolled her eyes. _I'd be having more fun at home, _she thought, fully aware that she was lying to herself.

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><p>The train stopped at around 11:30 sharp, right on time. "Finally!"Mina cheered, bolting up. She pulled Chihiro off the train with Takashi behind them, the biggest grin plastered onto her heart-shaped face. Chihiro wondered if her face could really stick that way. It'd honestly be creepy to see her friend angry with that kind of happy expression on. She shuddered as Mina pulled her away from the crowd of people. "Is your brother here yet, Takashi?" she asked.<p>

The brown haired male glanced around the station, looking for a slightly older version of himself. "Nah," he declared, shaking his head. It was normal for Katashi to arrive late. It wasn't much of a surprise to anyone.

But it was more of a disappointment to Mina. She let out a groan. "Wonderful," she muttered, taking a seat on one of the many benches near the walls. "Could you call him and tell him we're here?"

Takashi gave her a look. "Since when does my brother _ever_ answer his phone, Mina?"

The girl rolled her eyes and sighed, slouching into her seat. "So I'll have to wear this coat for how much longer?" Mina and Chihiro had dressed themselves in coats so no one would see their outfits. Going on a train this late at night with shirts as revealing as theirs without covering up wasn't such a good idea, especially since they were going downtown. This only made Chihiro wonder for maybe the tenth or eleventh time tonight: Why am I going along with this?

Takashi shrugged lightly, his black button down shirt lifting light to see his white belt. "A few minutes…maybe hours…" He smirked. "I think it's a good look for you though. It gives us and other guys a break from seeing your ass crack."

Mina jumped up and went over to punch her friend, but was pulled back by a pleading Chihiro. "Guys, don't fight!" she cried. "Can't you two get along for once!" They fought nearly every day for the dumbest reasons. Chihiro couldn't remember one time when they didn't fight together. She was pretty sure that they even fought one another telepathically. It would probably explain why she would randomly scowl when the three of them were together and silence shrouded over them for what seemed like an eternity.

Takashi nodded his head lightly. "I'm sorry, Chihiro," he said faintly.

Mina pulled away from her friend. "He started it," she muttered, rubbing her shoulders. "But I won't hurt him for your sake." She glanced at Takashi. "I wouldn't want to hurt your _precious_ Takashi," she sneered, glaring at the boy long and hard.

"Stop it," Chihiro ordered sternly. "I'm sick of you two fighting! Can't you just get along for _one_ night? That's all I'm asking!" She was getting fed up with their nonsense, and the churning in her stomach had grown as they bickered.

Both teens went silent at that, glancing at each other before looking in opposite directions. Chihiro let out a frustrated sigh. _Why do I even put up with you two?_ she thought. She glanced at her side and blinked when she recognized the tall brunette strolling towards them with a lazy gait. She grinned softly. "Our ride is here."

Takashi followed her eyes and grinned when he saw his older brother. "Nice of you to finally show up," he teased, giving his brother a tight bear hug when he was close enough.

"Oh, I came a while ago," Katashi admitted with a sly grin. "I just wanted to see how long it would take before you and Mina started fighting. By the way, thirty seconds is your new record."

Takashi glared at his brother, but he was already moving onto Mina, putting an arm around her waist and bringing her in close. "How you doing, Mina?" he asked softly.

"Great, now that you're here," she said softly, a little glimmer in her dark sapphire eyes. _Oh lord, _Chihiro thought, shaking her head in disbelief. _She's going to be all over him tonight._ She wasn't quite sure, but she had a hunch that Mina and Katashi had something going on behind Takashi's back. The last thing Chihiro wanted was to be brought into it.

Katashi let go of Mina and grinned at Chihiro, giving her a tight squeeze. "Long time, no see, Chi Chi," he whispered in her ear, using the same nickname he'd given her when she was ten.

The hair on the back of Chihiro's neck stood up. "I told you," she warned, "don't call me Chi Chi." She hated that pet name so much, but didn't mind _too_ much when Katashi called her by it. It sounded sort of…sexy, she could say. Mixed with the scent of his expensive cologne and faint cigarette smoke, the boy seemed even more irresistible than Mina claimed him to be.

He let go of the sixteen year old, looking at all three of them. "Ready to have some fun?" he said, his chocolate brown eyes locking with Chihiro's. All but one nodded confidently, the brunette just barely bobbing her head up and down. He smirked. "Then let's get going." He lead them up the stairs of the subway station and over to his sports car. The girls climbed into the back while the boys took their seats up front. The engine purred as Katashi ignited the car, and the four were off and heading downtown within minutes.

"No looking back until we get there, got it?" Mina ordered.

"Yup," Katashi said, teasingly readjusting his mirror and winking at the two girls.

Mina shrugged off her navy coat, revealing a black halter top that seemed to tie in three different places, leading down to her navel. Chihiro's eyes went wide. "Wow Mina…" she breathed. "That's a really nice top…" She looked amazing in it, and the girl suddenly felt ashamed that she wasn't wearing something as extravagant as her friend.

Mina grinned. "Thanks." She took a comb from her jacket pocket and bent her head, exposing her back. Chihiro's mouth dropped at that; the top was backless except for a few strings tying together at her lower back. She glanced in the mirror, pretty sure that Katashi was ogling her. But to her surprise, his eyes were glued to the road ahead of him. He caught the girl staring and winked, making Chihiro blush and duck her head. Mina glanced over at her when she finished combing her pitch black hair. "Your turn," she announced, gesturing to her torso with her blue comb.

Chihiro blinked and glanced down at her coat. She slowly unbuttoned the black coat, putting it off to the side. Mina's eyes widened and she grinned. "You look hot!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands happily. The top was what Mina would really call cute. But Chihiro had developed greatly since the last time they went out, which was probably the beginning of the year. Now the girl had a full bust, and _curves._ The top of the shirt had a checkerboard design that ended about halfway down her ribcage, the rest of the fabric plain black, with a thing black belt wrapping around her waist.

Both girls glanced into the rearview mirror to see Katashi's eyes dart back to the road. Chihiro glanced down at her chest and quickly ducked down, covering herself up. _Please tell me he didn't see anything…_ She'd never been one to attract that kind of attention before. She'd worn this top a few times, even around Katashi. But his eyes never widened like that, nor did tiny beads of sweat line his forehead like they did now.

Takashi glanced over at his older brother. "Something wrong?" he asked, genuinely concerned, as if he didn't know what was going on.

"I'm fine," Katashi said, nodding reassuringly. He sounded slightly defensive and he was rather quick to answer. Chihiro glanced up into the mirror. Those tiny clear beads were starting to grow….

Mina didn't seem to notice either. She took a miniature compact from her pocket and twisted the top open, revealing clear glitter. She dabbed her finger in it and swiped it lightly across her chest and neck. She grinned when she saw Chihiro eyeing her and dabbed her finger again when she was finished. "Your turn."

"No, I'm fine," she said. She didn't really like glitter that much.

"Come on! We used to do this all the time!"

"Yeah, in summer camp when we were twelve!" That was probably the last time Chihiro had ever touched glitter. A year after that, Mina had discovered that glitter wasn't only used for arts and crafts. "I don't want any glitter."

The raven haired beauty scoffed. "I don't think you have a choice in the matter." She unbuckled her seatbelt with one finger and edged closer to Chihiro. The brunette flailed as her friend began showering her in sparkles, pushing her away. "Stop it; you're getting it all over me!" Mina cried, trying to dab some on her friend's chest. Chihiro glanced in the mirror as she pushed Mina away, blinking when she saw that Katashi looked…anxious, like he was _dying_ to look in that rearview mirror. Before she could ask if he was alright, she was pushed back by her friend and doused in body glitter, feeling violated by the time it was all over. She now had glitter on her bosom, neck, hair, and even a little bit on her face here and there. Mina giggled. "You look like a pixie."

Chihiro glared at her. "I am going to _kill_ you after tonight, Mina!"

"Fine. As long as you cut loose tonight, I don't give a damn." She grinned.

"If you two are done fighting, can you please be quiet?" Takashi asked, annoyed.

"Sorry Takashi…" Chihiro muttered faintly, sitting back. Mina sealed the glitter container and buckled herself in without uttering a word. Chihiro was actually impressed; she couldn't believe her loudmouth friend wasn't putting up a fight for once. _Is there a full moon out tonight?_

After minutes of awkward silence, occasional glances in the mirror, and endless blaring of horns at ignorant drivers, the neon lights of Python came into view ahead. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see Mina grinning from ear to ear. She'd been talking about this club all week, and now they were finally going to find out what made it so worthy of being blabbed about.

"Your face will stick that way," Takashi stated, noticing her sinister smile. "Then everyone won't be able to make out with you in the bathroom." The corners of Chihiro's mouth tugged slightly at that. Even though she and Takashi didn't go out much with Mina to parties and raves, word spread fast on what happened while she was there. And every rumor was just as outrageous as the next.

Mina's smile didn't falter. "Tease all you want, Takashi," she stated. "Nothing you say or do can bring me down."

"You're right. You're not that easy."

Chihiro let out a smirk, causing Mina to stare daggers at her. She instantly stopped and hung her head without saying a word. Once Katashi parked, they all got out and followed behind him as he went right up to the bouncer. Chihiro couldn't help but notice the snakeskin pattern on his beefy, right arm. It looked almost life like, and his eyes even glowed a dull yellow color. She gulped; maybe this wasn't such a good idea. But before she could suggest they go back, the bouncer unclipped the red rope and moved out of their way, letting them inside. Chills went down her spine as her friend whispered in the eeriest of ways:

"We're in."

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own Spirited Away.


	2. Into the Lion's Den

**_Chapter 2: Into the Lion's Den_**

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><p>Hues of green, pink, blue, orange, and yellow illuminated the club at a rapid pace. House music blared from the stereos towards the stage, where a DJ stood talking with a group of about three or four girls, all dressed in the same kind of fashion as Mina. The insides of Chihiro's palms were already beginning to sweat, and she'd only been inside for twenty seconds. She'd never been inside of a club before; parties yes, but never twenty one and older club. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be happy about Katashi sneaking them in, or upset and guilty that she was really doing this right here, right now.<p>

"You act like you've never been inside a club before," Katashi teased, wrapping an arm around Mina's bare shoulders. She had the most bewildered look on her face since the moment she stepped foot into Python. Her mouth was agape; her eyes were huge and glassy. She looked as though she was going to cry from astonishment, as if this was the most beautiful and precious thing she'd ever laid eyes on.

She grinned, quickly closing her mouth and tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Not as good as this," she teased back, nudging him with her elbow. Chihiro understood what she meant; the clubs closer to home were full of prepubescent girls shaking their hips, trying to look sexy. Although, that was what Mina claimed. Now, Chihiro wanted to believe that, but she was pretty sure that there was some other reason she go to that club on a regular basis anymore. Like, for instance, she made out with the bouncer and ended up getting banned from the club by the owner. "Why didn't you tell me more about this place?"

He shrugged lightly. "I didn't want to spoil it for you," he said, kissing the tip of her nose. Out of the corner of her eye, Chihiro glanced over at Takashi, amazed that he wasn't fazed by any of this. Did he suspect that they were together, too? _At least I won't be alone,_ she thought. She'd hate to be the only one right and Takashi be left in the dark.

The nineteen year old whisked the young teenager away from her friends and into sweaty nocturnal hell. The last thing Chihiro saw of her friend was the black nail polish that gleamed when it hit the strobe lights, and then she was gone. She let out a soft sigh; she needed to be back by at least three. She knew her parents were pretty much passed out in bed, but they had a knack for doing surprise bed checks in the middle of the night. She took her phone from her pocket once more and checked the screen. No new messages or calls. She knew she had all the right in the world to be paranoid right now; she didn't want her parents finding out about this. But she was already here, and there was no turning back now.

_Maybe a bottle of sake will calm me down…_ The girl began to wander off, catching sight of a blue-lit table in the far corner, but something pulled her back – someone, actually. She turned and smiled lightly. She should've known he'd do this. "I'll be fine, Takashi," she assured.

"Are you sure?" he asked, concern clear in his face.

"I'm sure," Chihiro said with a nod. Then her smile grew even wider. "Want to come with me?" She figured it'd be better than having him worry. Plus, she may need the protection. She was already starting to grab the attention of some people, both male and female.

"Alright," Takashi said, relaxing slightly. His grip loosened on her wrist.

Chihiro smiled and maneuvered around the near hundreds of sweaty adults and teenagers, making her way towards the bar. _Try to sound confident,_ she reminded herself. She needed to sound like an adult; she already pretty much looked the part. The bartender's eyes flickered to her breasts when he caught sight of her. Chihiro could nearly feel Takashi's protective instincts kicking in. She touched the inside of his wrist lightly, their signal to tell each other to calm down. She heard Takashi let out a quiet breath and grinned at the bartender, leaning on the counter. "Two bottles of warm sake," she ordered sweetly. The bartender grinned at her without a word and went to prepare their drinks.

Takashi blinked. "All of a sudden you're twenty now?" he whispered in his ear. He couldn't help but wonder if this was the same Chihiro that he'd sat across from on the subway, nervous and guilty about coming here in the first place.

The brunette shrugged lightly. "I just tried to act like Mina," she admitted quietly. She'd seen the way she talked to older guys, enchanting them with her dark blue eyes and long, jet black hair. She figured that if she was just going to watch her friend romance guys at parties, she might as well take note. It seemed to really pay off tonight, because when the bartender came back, he set down a martini glass in front of her, performing various tricks while mixing a cocktail. When he finished, he took out a lighter and set the beverage on fire, a blue flame the same color as the table blazing. He set a straw in the glass for her.

"Drink up," he said, winking again.

Chihiro glanced at the drink and set down her bottle of sake, taking the straw and sucking the drink. It was strong and made the girl's throat _burn_. She stopped after three sips, blinking. Her brain buzzed; she knew she should've stopped after the first sip, but she wanted to get a better taste of it. _I'm not turning into an alcoholic,_ she told herself. She just wanted to get a small taste of the cocktail; that was all. She noticed the bartender watching her and smiled. He smiled back and served another couple, a much older one. She pushed the drink over to Takashi and sipped on her sake. "You try it."

Takashi blinked, confused. "Huh?" Like Chihiro, Takashi didn't drink often. The only time their lips ever touched alcohol was at family gatherings, holidays, and festivals and they only ever had a glass or maybe two if their parents allowed them. He eyed the flaming drink and hesitantly took a sip, blinking and taking a few more before giving it back. Now half the cocktail was gone. "It's good," he said softly, his brain buzzing as well. Whatever was in there, it made him calmer than ever.

Chihiro grinned and finished off her bottle sake before sharing her second drink with Takashi. By the time they downed it all, they were both a little tipsy, but not enough to do a near face-plant on the floor. Chihiro was pretty sure she still had some bit of sense left in her. "Let's dance!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand.

Takashi grinned and stood from his seat, pulling her into the crowd of people on the dance floor. As the music changed, the two started dancing, first at a distance, but by the fourth or fifth song, they were grinding, getting closer and closer. Chihiro was sweating up a storm with him, but Takashi just pulled her close and danced as if nothing else mattered. It was only when she caught sight of Mina that she stopped, a smile still on her face.

"You look like you're high!" Mina shouted against the music, laughing.

Chihiro giggled wildly, shaking her head. She couldn't speak, let alone think of what to say. She felt as though she were on a cloud up so high that nothing and no one could touch her and bring her down.

Mina giggled and hugged her. "Say it."

"No!" Chihiro giggled.

"Say it!"

"Never!"

Mina began tickling her. "Say it, Chihiro!" she cried, giggling.

Chihiro squealed. "You were right, you were right!" she cried, pushing her friend away so she would stop tickling her.

Mina bumped into Katashi and giggled softly. "Thank you." She glanced over at Takashi and took his hand, leading him away, leaving Katashi and Chihiro by themselves.

The male grinned and got closer to Chihiro. "Dance with me like you danced with my brother," he told her, pulling her close.

Chihiro grinned and shrugged, beginning to dance with Katashi as the song changed once more. She stood at a friendly distance like she did with Takashi, but his older brother pulled her in closer and closer until they were nearly on top of each other. The girl's mind had cleared up just enough to realize that something wasn't _quite_ right. By the third song, his hand was already on her lower back, his thumb just peeking under the hem of her shirt. Chihiro felt her brain buzz like when she drank the cocktail, and she led his hand away from her back. He obeyed and set his hands on her lips, grinning as he did so. She tried her best not to look him in the eye. Something was really wrong here…

When they danced for about half an hour, Katashi pulled her away from the crowd and into a corner with stairs. He lightly tugged on her arm, leading her up. "Katashi, wait," Chihiro said, halting. "I don't think we're allowed up there."

He glanced back at her and grinned, shaking his head. "Chi Chi, it's fine. Just trust me."

Chihiro felt her body heat up when he called her that, her head just barely bobbing up and down like before in the subway station. She followed him up the winding staircase and into a crimson room. It was a lounge area, more quiet and relaxed than downstairs. There weren't that many people up here, by the looks of it, they were getting close to one another, some even straddling their partners. She covered her nose; the place stunk of cigarette smoke and sweat. Katashi didn't seem to mind at all. He pulled her over to one of the leather black loveseats, pulling her down next to him. "Why did you bring me here?" Chihiro asked outright.

"I just wanted to talk to you," he said softly.

"We could've talked downstairs near the bar or something."

He shook his head. "I needed to talk to you in private." He reached over and brushed a piece of hair out of her face. Chihiro tried not to flinch, letting his fingers graze her cheekbones. "I couldn't let Mina and Takashi see us together."

"Why?" They were all friends. Was talking forbidden among peers all of a sudden?

"Because I didn't want them interrupting us." He searched her up and down. "You've grown a lot in the past couple months, Chi Chi…"

She noticed that glimmer in his dark brown eyes and winced. "Um…yeah, I guess…"

He chuckled and rested a hand on her arm, stroking it up and down slowly. "You've never danced like that before." He grinned. "I never even knew you could dance like that." They only danced at festivals, and the last time they'd shared a dance, she'd nearly tripped over her own feet and fallen into him.

Chihiro blushed. "Me either…" She didn't really know she had it in her. With Takashi it felt alright because he was her best friend. But with Katashi…it felt forbidden almost. _Is it because he's older and I'm too young?_ She thought. _Or maybe it's because he's Takashi's brother…._ Mina had explained it before; if you break up with a boy, who has a brother, never go for the brother. But…did those rules apply to dancing too? Mina had whisked Takashi away, and once he was gone, she traded him in for Katashi…was that so wrong?

She felt Katashi's fingers graze her cheek once more. When she looked up, he was even closer now. "Penny for your thoughts?" he whispered, his voice low and seductive, almost.

Chihiro felt weak. "N-No, it's just…" She swallowed. "I just feel bad about leaving Takashi and Mina downstairs…"

Katashi leaned in closer, putting his lips near her ear. "Don't feel bad," he whispered, his breath hot on her skin. She could smell the cigarette smoke, sake, and cologne on his shirt, and it drove Chihiro nearly over the edge. "They'll be just fine…" He placed his hand on her thigh and just barely made it creep up higher and higher.

_Stop_, she wanted to say. This wasn't right; it didn't feel right at all. But she couldn't resist it. With his sweet scent wafting through the air into her nose, his brown eyes locked with hers, and his cold hand on her leg, it was nearly impossible to resist him. When she didn't' speak, he grabbed the inside of her thigh, making the girl gasp. "Shhh…" he soothed, bringing her leg over both of his so that she was straddling him. Chihiro was blushing so much that her face nearly blended in with the room. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you, Chi Chi…"

Chihiro wasn't sure if she could believe him right now or not. She was a nervous wreck, even worse than how she was on the ride heading downtown. Her stomach was hollow and she broke out into a cold sweat. She tried to move, but her legs had turned to lead, and she was restrained by his arm around her waist. "You have to stop," she said faintly, sounding tired and dazed.

"Why?" Katashi questioned, pulling her in closer. Their faces were only inches apart now, his pink lips so close to her own.

Chihiro swallowed hard. "B-Because you're with Mina," she blurted out.

Katashi stared at her blankly, making the girl's stomach churn. _That's not good…_ But he soon started laughing, throwing his head back. "Chihiro, that's why I brought you up here," he explained. "She doesn't have to know." He put his hand on the back of her neck and brought her in closer. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her…"

The girl could smell the nicotine on his breath. It made her nose wrinkle. She pulled away from him, shaking her head. "You're not cheating on her. Not with me." She wasn't going to let him hurt her friend.

"It's not cheating," he said pulling her back. "I just want to get to know you a little better." He smirked. "She'd get jealous if she saw this, Chi Chi. Do you _want_ her to be upset with the both of us?"

It took her a while before she shook her head. "No…"

He grinned. "So don't worry about it. Just relax and ease up…"

_No,_ she thought, shaking her head. "I have to go find Takashi." She tried getting up, only to have him forcefully pull her back down to him, pulling her body against his.

"You're not going _anywhere,_" he growled. Chihiro gasped; his eyes looked dangerous and his tone was lethal. He pushed her down on the couch and lay down on top of her, pressing his lips to her jaw line and making a trail to her collarbone. Chihiro struggled underneath him, trying to kick him off with all her might. But no matter how hard she tried, it didn't help at all. He pinned her arms down with both hands and kissed lower, reaching down to her sparkled breasts. Chihiro gasped and flailed, beginning to hyperventilate.

"Stop it, stop it!" she cried, trying to break free. Katashi couldn't do this to her. He _couldn't._ She looked around, wondering if anyone at all was going to help her. To her surprise, everyone was gone. The only sounds she could hear were the thudding her heart in her ears, the pounds of the music downstairs, both her and Katashi's heavy breathing, and the squeaking of the loveseat as she moved under him. "Katashi, stop it, now!"

He growled again and squeezed her wrist with enough force to make tears pool in her eyes. "Shut your mouth," he demanded, a menacing grin coming onto his lips as he saw her eyes become glassy, "shut your goddamn mouth!"

Chihiro went silent, frightened. Katashi always seemed so nice and easygoing with her…why was he deciding to do this _now_? She kept struggling, flailing once more. Her body went limp when he raised his hand and smacked her across the face, the sound nearly shattering her eardrums. Her breathing stopped and the world muted for a moment. Her cheek stung violently as tears spilt from her eyes and cascaded down her face. She hated giving up on anything and anyone, but for the first time in a long while, she just stayed in place while the world started to slow down, the music from downstairs going silent as Katashi began to unbutton her pants and slowly slide them off while kissing his chest. It was only when she heard a familiar voice that her heart decided to beat again.

"Get the fuck off of her, Katashi!"

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own Spirited Away.


	3. Escape From Hell

**_Chapter 3: Escape from Hell_**

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><p><em>Takashi…<em> She turned her head to see him standing in the doorway, his eyes nearly black, his jaw clenched as tightly as his fists. The girl gulped; had he seen what happened? Or did he think that this was all just a set up? _Please save me, Takashi…_ she pleaded, more tears spilling from her eyes.

"Get out of here, Takashi!" Katashi hollered, lifting his face from Chihiro's chest. He tightened his grip on her wrists, making her wince underneath him.

"Katashi, please…" she said meekly, sounding nothing like the adult she'd pretended to be downstairs at the bar. She sounded like she was a little girl again – frail, childish, and insignificant. "Just let me go and we can forget about this…"

"I said _shut up!_"He smacked her across the face once more, and the world went silent again. This time, all she could hear was her heart thudding rapidly against her ribcage; that, and Takashi rushing over. In a matter of seconds she was freed from Katashi's grip, and he was on the floor with his brother. Chihiro sat up and gasped as the two siblings began punching the crap out of each other. All she could do was watch as fist after fist connected with one another's face, dark red liquid staining their hands and faces.

When Takashi ended up on his back with his brother pummeling him, Chihiro finally decided to get involved. She rushed over and tried to push him off, only to have his hand close around her throat. She tried to shriek as he choked her, clawing away at his arms, but it only made him tighten the hold around her neck. "Katashi please…" she begged one last time, gasping for air. Tears blinded her vision once more. _This is the end…_ she thought, her eyes closing shut. She waited for the impact, for his hand to connect with some part of her body once more, but all she felt was the ground. Her eyes opened slowly to see Katashi in the corner, blood streaming from the crown of his head. She glanced over to her right; Takashi was backing away slowly as his brother began to move, brushing away the glass that was tangled in his hair.

"We have to get out of here," he said, taking Chihiro by the hand and nearly dragging her out of the room and down the stairs. Once the girl was able to stand, she bolted down the stairs with her friend, catching sight of Mina at the bottom.

"What's going on?" she called to them as they came down. "Where the hell is Kata-"

Takashi grabbed her by the wrist and barreled through the crowd, trying to find the exit. Upon finding the bright red sign above the door, the boy growled, swearing under his breath. "Dammit Mina…" he cursed under his breath. "Dammit to hell!" He sounded as ruthless as his brother.

The black-haired girl's eyes went wide and innocent. "What the hell did I do?"

"Because of you and my brother, Chihiro was almost killed!"

"WHAT?" Her eyes darted towards her longtime friend. "What happened? Are you alright! Did he hurt you?" Then her eyes went from concerned to jealous. "What did you do to him…?" Now her voice was filled with venom. If Chihiro's imagination kept running as wild as it did at the moment, she might start to see her best friend form into a snake right before her eyes.

"Nothing," she said faintly. "Can we just please go home?" She'd known this was a bad idea from the start. Now she wanted nothing more than to be home with her parents, even if her going home meant that she would be punished for sneaking out to go downtown. Takashi was already walking towards his brother's car, taking the driver's seat. Mina lightly pulled the brunette's arm, nearly thrusting her into the car before climbing in herself. Takashi didn't even wait for them to close the door; he was already backing out of the parking space and speeding onto the street, his foot nearly crushing the gas pedal. Chihiro felt as though her back was pinned to the car seat. She glanced over at Mina. She wasn't even looking in her direction now.

"I'm sorry…" Chihiro whispered softly, glancing down at her lap. Mina was still silent, staring straight ahead at the windshield. The girl sighed softly and leaned her head against the glass window, inviting the cold feeling that entered her body almost instantly. The bright lights of downtown whizzed by them, making the girl's eyes grow tired. So much color in one day made her feel exhausted, not to mention the amount of alcohol she took in just one sitting. _I'm not cut out for this…_ She thought, coming to a conclusion. She _wasn't _the kind of girl to party until dawn. She wasn't like Mina, who could pull of looking sexy wearing and doing just about anything. She wasn't an adult who could drink as much alcohol and not have much of a problem being drunk on the dance floor. She wasn't like the typical teenage girl. She was just _Chihiro…_

* * *

><p>It felt as though she'd been sleeping for ages when she finally awoke, a groan escaping her lips. The car was still moving, but now there were trees surrounding them. Her head was pounding and the fact that the road they were on was bumpy didn't make Chihiro feel any better. All she could think about were snakes, martinis, and techno music. She heard a thumping noise in her ear and blinked. Was that the beat of the music she'd been hearing all night…? She put two fingers to her neck, shaking her head. It was just her heartbeat. <em>The alcohol really took a toll on me.<em>

"I hate you," she heard a voice say next to her. Chihiro turned her head to see Mina staring at her with menacing eyes, her arms crossed tight against her chest, squishing her bust. "You just _had_ to go after him."

Chihiro groaned again, sitting up as the car ran over rocks paving the road, jostling from side to side and bumping her head on the head cushion to the seat in front of her. "It's not what you're thinking," she explained, holding her head. Whatever thoughts Mina had in her head an hour ago were finally starting to get to her. And now she had to find a way to let them out, and bashing Chihiro seemed to be the only solution she had.

"You just _had_ to go after what was _mine,_" she hissed, tossing her black hair over her shoulder. "Katashi _loved_ me. He called me 'The One'. And now because of you, it's _ruined._ You just _had_ to take my boyfriend away from me!"

"I didn't take anything from you!" she snapped, a sudden feeling of rage coursing through her. "Mina, he came after _me._ Katashi dragged me away! I tried to stop him but he wouldn't let me go!"

"Just shut up, Chihiro!" she screeched. "I know you're just lying to make it seem like he's in the wrong, like _you're_ the victim."

"I _am_ the victim, Mina!"

"I said shut up!"

"Would you just listen to me for two seconds!"

"ENOUGH!" Takashi roared from the front seat, causing the two girls to go completely silent. "I've had it with both of you!"

"It's not my fault she's a two-faced slut!" Mina shouted.

Chihiro's eyes widened and watered. "…That's what you think of me…?" she asked, her voice breaking as she spoke.

"Yeah, that's what I really think of you, Chihiro," Mina snapped, staring daggers at her. "You. Are. A two-faced. Slut!"

"Mina, shut it!" Takashi yelled, speeding through the rocky path. Tree branches and leaves kept pelting the windshield, causing everything to look more dark and scary than usual. Chihiro shrieked as she nearly flew forward, her head pumping the headrest again, harder this time.

"Takashi, slow down!" she ordered.

"Chihiro, just let me drive!"

"Or we could push her out of the car," Mina suggested, her voice cheerful as she glanced to her right. "That could solve both our problems!"

"MINA!"

"WHAT?"

Chihiro's head snapped up at that moment, staring straight ahead. In the distance was an old statue as tall as the car…and it was coming closer and closer with each passing second. The brunette's eyes went dull at that and her body went limp. She relaxed into the seat as the car came closer and closer to the object. She would've warned them, but she'd just given up. She was so exhausted, drunk, and angry that nothing else mattered anymore to her. Screw her parents finding out that she'd snuck out. Screw it if Mina was upset with her. All that would be over in a matter of seconds…

"Look out…" Chihiro whispered to them, not sounding like herself at all. She sounded…dead. Like a zombie. It was as if she her soul was hanging on for dear life just to mutter those two words as to not feel guilty for not having warned them. If they all died, at least she'd said something.

It took only a second for the car to come into contact with the stone structure, but it took longer than Chihiro thought for her to slowly fade away. She thought that she would've died on impact, but she was wrong. She cursed herself lightly as she started to feel the pain rushing into her body. _Come on…_ she thought morbidly. _Come faster…come for me already…_

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own Spirited Away._  
><em>


	4. Near Death Experience

_**Chapter 4: Near-Death Experience**_

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><p><em>Chihiro…<em>

The girl's head lolled to the right, eyes still closed, mind still bent on disappearing from this world and venturing off into a new one. _Death? _She thought, wincing as something sharp pierced her right hand. The glass from the window had shattered completely and fallen around her. It was as if diamonds showered her whole torso and thighs. _Is that you…?_

_Chihiro…_

_Yes?_ She thought, slightly confused now. Did Death have an airy female voice? She'd always imagined that Death had a voice that filled one with fear, not comfort. But even so, she was feeling as though she were in a dream now. She knew that she'd just experienced a horrible car accident, but now everything was starting to feel unreal, like a fantasy. She could feel herself floating on a cloud, yet the agony in her body remained and intensified with each passing moment. _Please take me away…take me away before it's too late._

_I can't let you do that, Chihiro…you must save your friends._

Now the pain was starting to get unbearable. A groan escaped her lips, as well as a cough. As her chest moved, she felt her heart nearly explode against her rib cage. _Please take me now…make this be quick and painful, I'm begging you. _She was whimpering now, hot tears spilling from her eyes. _Take me to heaven or wherever the hell God wants me to be…_

_Only when you cross paths again will you truly find your Heaven…_

* * *

><p>Black smoke was starting to surround the car, filling up the lungs of the three teenagers trapped within the mangled doors. Not a sound could be heard for miles, not a pair of footsteps could be heard in the distance crushing branches underneath boots. It was just them and the hissing sound of the car's engine, no one around to help for dial a phone.<p>

Chihiro's body twitched slightly as she started to come to her senses. "Dammit…" she whispered, realizing that Death hadn't come to retrieve her soul just yet. She moved her legs, crushing small shards of glass under her feet. She opened and closed her hands and moved her arms very slightly. Her limbs were still intact, which was a good sign. She could still think coherently, and she had decent vision at the moment, given that things started to grey out now and then.

Her eyes glanced to the driver's seat. _Takashi…_ Blood was running down the side of his face, starting at his brown hair and dripping down from the stubble on his chin. His upper body hovered over the steering wheel, arms across the dashboard. If things didn't look so bleak and they'd suddenly passed out in the car instead of ran into a statue, she could mistake Takashi for being in a deep sleep. _Or dead…_

She turned her head to the left, gasping in fear when she saw her friend's body. Glass had entered the young woman's torso, dark liquid seeping through her black top. Her head hung low, her chin to her chest. She looked more like a corpse than Takashi, if she could say that. A moan came out of her, but Chihiro couldn't tell if it were zombie-like or out of pure pain. She watched for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for her friend to move. Finally, she heard something she'd never been so happy to have come out of Mina's mouth:

"Stop staring at me already…"

Chihiro grinned faintly. "Mina…you're alive…"

"Yeah, and I'm not exactly enjoying it at the moment."

If she wasn't restrained by the seat belt, she would've hugged her friend from across the armrest. But in that split second, she felt the harsh fabric of her belt cutting into her neck, a fresh puckered red line across her porcelain skin. "Don't move, okay?" she assured.

"As if I had a choice," Mina snapped. Even though she had glass lodged into her being, she was still able to be her old bitchy self. In honesty, Chihiro couldn't be happier right now.

The brunette pressed the red button of her seat belt and cussed under her breath when she realized it was jammed. She let out a soft sigh and took in a deep breath. She allowed her left hand to grab the lock and counted to three. Upon reaching the magic number, she ribbed the belt from its harness and let out a cry as it rubbed against her neck, making a new cut in the process. "Fuck…" she said hoarsely, tears spilling from her eyes once more. She didn't even bother to see Mina's reaction; she figured that she hadn't forgotten their little tiff prior to the crash and probably loved the torture she was enduring.

Despite her thoughts, she turned and picked up her legs. She began pounding at the door with her feet to break out, taking out all her anger in the process. After the events of tonight, not only was she exhausted and in need of sleep, but she needed to beat something up just to feel better. Once the door finally opened, she sighed, getting out and going around the other side. She tugged on the door handle, falling over when the door didn't even move an inch.

"Mina," she called, pounding on the door. "Mina!"

"Yeah?" she responded.

"I need you to kick the door down."

The girl stared at her blankly. "You do realize I have glass in my body, right?"

"Yes and the fact that you're alive and able to still be a bitch is fascinating me by the minute," Chihiro countered sarcastically, "but I need you to just kick the damn door and _be careful._"

Mina sighed and got out of her seatbelt with no problem. She turned her body so she was facing her friend.

"On three," Chihiro ordered, making Mina nod. "One…two…three!"

While one pulled, the other pushed. Within seconds the door came out of the car itself, landing on the ground. The brunette grinned, laughing lightly. She couldn't believe they'd done it. She helped Mina out of the car and grabbed hold of the handle on Takashi's side. "Again, on three. One…two…three!" She pulled once more, veins nearly popping out of her forehead and neck. The girl groaned after a few minutes when the door didn't move. "Dammit!" she hollered, kicking the door with her foot. In that moment, the door clattered to the ground, echoing throughout the forest.

"Nice going," Mina chuckled.

Chihiro rolled her eyes. "Shut up and help me get him out of here."

Mina went over in silence and helped drag Takashi from his seat. "Where the hell are we supposed to go now?" she asked.

The brunette glanced around. They couldn't stay in the woods all night, and they were too far from home, not to mention they'd look suspicious carrying a teenage boy out from a bunch of trees. She looked up at the stone structure just a few feet away. "Come on," she said, tugging his body into the corridor.

"Where the heck does this even lead to?"

"I don't know, but it's our best bet."

"What if there's a killer in there?" Mina whispered softly.

Chihiro glared at her friend. "Do you want to stay in the woods where bears and foxes could pick at your bleeding torso?"

And at that, the girl went silent. She picked up Takashi's body and followed Chihiro into the tunnel, breathing heavily after a few minutes. The stress from picking up the body was starting to take a toll on her injuries. Chihiro noticed this and stopped, quietly taking Takashi and putting his arm over her shoulder. She continued walking into the dark hallway, nearly collapsing when she saw the benches scattered around the open area.

"Oh thank God!" Mina cheered, going over to one of the benches and sprawling herself all over it. She sighed and glanced at her torso, touching the glass that protruded from her abdomen. She looked over at Chihiro, who was now laying Takashi to rest on a bench and checking his pulse.

"His pulse is strong," she whispered. "I think he's going to be alright."

Mina carefully propped herself up on both elbows. "Hey."

Chihiro turned. "What is it?"

"Pull this out of me."

Her eyes widened. "Are you out of your mind, Mina?"

"No, I'm in pain and in need of someone to pull this out!" she snapped, sighed and clenching her fists tight. "I just need you to pull this out of me…._please._"

The girl stared at her friend for a moment before going over. "You might bleed out if this gets removed."

"I know. Just take it out and I'll handle it."

Chihiro sighed. "Fine." She took hold of the shard.

"Just don't let me know when you're going t-" At that moment, the young brunette ripped the glass from Mina's body, letting it clatter to the floor. She cringed as a bloodcurdling scream sounded from the raven-haired girl, gritting her teeth. "You bitch!" she roared.

"You told me not to let you know. I did what you asked."

Mina scoffed and sat up completely, taking off her shirt and pressing it to her wound. Surprisingly, it wasn't bleeding too much.

"Looks like you've got it from here." Chihiro got up and went over to Takashi, checking his pulse again. It was still strong, and the bleeding seemed to stop in his head. She was praying to God right now that he didn't have an aneurysm or anything serious. Last time she checked, it was around 3:30am. All they had to do was wait until daybreak and they could find their way out and to the hospital. Although, there was the possibility that the doctors would call their parents and then their parents would call the police. Chihiro let out a groan; tomorrow was going to be hell.

"Just go to sleep," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes and laying down on the cold ground. She was too tired to get her own bench; tonight, the floor would be her bed and her arm would be her pillow. She'd figure something out tomorrow morning. That is, if she made it through the next couple of hours.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own Spirited Away.


	5. Blissful Nightmare

**_Chapter 5: Blissful Nightmare_**

* * *

><p>As the sun began to rise, the stained glass windows began to glint, causing the ground to sparkle with color. Rays of color ranging from red to purple shined down on the three teenagers, warming their cold, bloodstained arms and faces. Their bodies were unmoving, only the sounds of their breathing echoing the empty space. A cool breeze entered through the tunnel, causing goose bumps to rise all across their bodies. The air seemed to refresh them, however, for once the breeze passed completely, one of them began to awaken, rising up from his bench and running his hand down the side of his face, blinking as his fingers felt dry blood. "What the…" He glanced around, catching sight of one of his friend's on a bench. But where was… "Chihiro…?"<p>

He sat up slowly, his body aching. His joints cracked and popped as he moved, loosening up. "Chihiro…?" he called again. "Where are you?" He took a step off of his bench and stopped when he felt something hard underneath his shoe. On the ground lay the girl he constantly worried about day and night, wincing in pain from the impact of his foot on her skull.

"Ow…" she moaned, rolling over on her other side.

"Chihiro, what are you doing on the ground?" he whispered softly, picking her up in his arms and resting her on his bench.

"Car crash…" she groaned. "Almost died…voice in my head…"

Takashi blinked. "Chihiro, wake up." He shook her gently. "Wake up."

She groaned and slumped against him, making the boy catch her and hold her gently in his arms. "Chihiro, please wake up…" he whispered softly, putting his lips against her ear. He couldn't stand seeing her like this. It was bad enough that he witnessed the near rape of his best friend and had to get involved in the fight in the car…but this…this was too much. If only he'd been paying attention to the road…

"Chihiro, wake up," he demanded, shaking her gently.

Nothing.

"Chihiro, wake the hell up!" He shook her harder now, tears welling up in his eyes. "Dammit, Chihiro, don't you dare die on me!"

"Shut up, will you?" a voice said calmly. "She's just unconscious."

Takashi turned his head to see Mina sitting up on her own bench on the other side of the room. She looked absolutely awful, which was quite astonishing because for whatever reason, Mina seemed to look beautiful in any kind of scenario. But at that moment, with her shirt tied around her torso like a bandage and blood staining her hair and face, she looked like something out of a horror movie. Even so, he was ecstatic to see that she was still breathing. "You're alive…"

"And currently not enjoying it," she stated, stumbling over to them. "She's been in and out for a while now," she told him, gently touching her friend's neck to find a pulse. "I woke up early to her screaming and shouting for us. She was crying an awful lot too…"

The boy glanced down at the girl and gently combed her hair with his hands. "Poor Chihiro…" He couldn't comprehend any of this. One minute, they were all together in his brother's car on their way home. Now they were in some kind of waiting area with no clue where to go. They couldn't go home – their parents would obviously be suspicious as to where they'd been last night. They couldn't go to the hospital – the doctors would need some sort of identification in order to contact their parents and the police. So what were they supposed to do?

* * *

><p>An hour would pass before she came to, a moan escaping her lips as the sun hit her face; it was remarkably bright out here. But how could that be? The windows of the bus station shielded them from the outside world…didn't they? Instantly, she called out her friend's names: "Takashi, Mina?" she groaned, trying to sit up.<p>

"Shhh…" a voice whispered softly, patting the young woman's head. "Don't move, Chihiro."

Chihiro's eyes shot open at that. That didn't sound like Mina or Takashi at all! …But now that she'd opened her eyes, this didn't look anything like the bus station either. Before her were miles upon miles of clear blue water, expanding far beyond her own eyes could see. Not a cloud dotted the sky, the only thing hanging above her being the radiant sun. As she propped herself up on her elbows, she realized that she wasn't lying down on the ground anymore, but on a smooth, flat stone.

"Where the hell am I…?" she wondered aloud, her heart thumping in her chest.

"You needn't know that, Chihiro," the voice whispered from behind. "For now, just listen."

The girl spun around to catch the mysterious person, only to find that there was no one, just an immense body of water. _What in the name of all that is sane is going on here?_ "Who are you!" she shouted, listening as her voice echoed into silence. "You're the same voice from the car, right? What the hell am I doing here? Did you bri-"

A flash broke before her eyes, causing her to wince and go blind momentarily. When her vision cleared and the ocean appeared once more, she tried to demand another question, only to hear the sound of the waves crashing against her rock. _I'm mute…_ she realized, touching her throat.

"I apologize," the voice called to her, "but it was necessary that I keep you quiet for just a moment."

_Take me back to my friends!_ She shouted in her mind. If she couldn't speak, she hoped that the voice could hear her thoughts. There were a few other things she wanted to say to this angel or spirit or whatever was currently holding her hostage in this makeshift paradise.

"I will take you back in a moment," the voice said, coming behind her once more. "But listen carefully Chihiro, for I will only tell you this once if you want to live to see another day."

The brown haired girl stayed silent at that; all she wished for at this very moment was to just get back to her friends.

"Go beyond the tunnel," the voice instructed. "Venture past the rock-filled trench and into town. But don't eat the food, which you will smell, like a glutton, for you and your friends will turn to swine. Eat just one piece and refrain from stuffing your face. Only then will you cross the bridge to the bathhouse. Only then will we meet."

Chihiro blinked for a moment, listening to the words being spoken and taking them in. _Why can't you just show yourself now? Why do I have to go on some wild goose-chase?_

"Because only then will you be able to reach Heaven…"

* * *

><p>The words echoed in her head for a moment longer before they faded completely. It was finally at that moment that her eyes opened to see two worried faces staring down at her. "Hey," Mina said softly, her tone soft and warming. "You alright? You were screaming again and suddenly shut up." Of course, the warmth didn't last for very long once she realized her friend was conscious and breathing.<p>

"Yeah," Takashi said quietly, gently helping her sit up. "You kept screaming 'Who are you? Who are you!' like a banshee…"

Chihiro sat up without saying a word, holding her head in her hands. That voice, that dream…it had all felt so real. She felt as though the woman talking to her was right beside her the entire time, audible but transparent. It felt as though she were talking to a ghost…

The girl stood up and mustered up enough strength to walk to the end of the tunnel's corridor. She leaned against the bricks, trying her hardest not to collapse. She felt Takashi's hand on her shoulder and knew that he would gladly carry her out of the tunnel if she was too weak to walk on her own. But Chihiro shook her head in defiance, closing her eyes as she heard the sound of a train passing in the distance. That voice in her head was the only lead they had to maybe getting some help. She knew full well that once she stepped away from this place that there would be no turning back.

She took a step away from her friends. When she didn't feel them tagging along, she turned back and looked at them with eyes full of spontaneous power and hope. "Are you coming?"

"Where the hell are we supposed to go?" Mina questioned, calling from the entrance.

"Do you trust me?"

The young teenagers standing behind the threshold stared at each other for a long moment before taking a step towards her; they had nowhere else to go now but forward.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>_**:**_ I do not own Spirited Away


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